Apparatus for distilling wood



No. 753,376. `PATENTED MAR. l, 1904. W. C. DOUGLAS.

APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING'WOD.'

APPLIUATION FILED SEPT. 1%1903. No MODFL. z SHEBTS-SHBET 1.

No. 753,376. PATENTED MAR. 1, 1904.

' W. c. DOUGLAS.

APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING Woon.

APPLIOAIION FILED SEPT. l. 1903.

mmdm@ Y tion through the entire system.

In the present art ithas been found desir- UNITED STATES Patented March1, 1904.

`PATENT OEEICE.

APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING WOOD.

sPEcIFIcATIoN forming paie of Letters Patent No. 753,376, dated March 1,1904.

Application filed September 1, 19703. Serial No. 171,519; (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM O. DOUGLAS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Raleigh, in the county of Wake and State'of North' Carolina,have invented certain new and use- Y Yture 6. The said device, asillustrated, conful Improvements in Apparatus foi1 Distilling Vood; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as Will enable others skilled in theart to'which it appertains to. make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in the distilling apparatus, andparticularly suchv as are adapted for use in operating upon wood forobtaining products therefrom.v

The object in view is the distillation of wood `for the obtaining ofturpentine in various grades, and this object is obtained by theemployment of an improved system oftubes in combination with suitableretorts and heating means.

The invention consists in certain novel constructions, combinations, andarrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a view in rearelevation of' a still embodying the features of the present invention.Fig.. 2 represents a transverse vertical section taken centrally throughthe retorts. Fig. 8 represents a longitudinal vertical secable to obtainspirits of turpentine as free as possible from foreign substances andsolids, and by the present improved apparatus I contemplate producingdifferent grades of turpentine, the best of which shall be chemicallypure. To obtain this and other desirable'results, I employ devices suchas are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which the numeral 1indicates any suitabley structure of masonry designed to inclose aplurality of suitably-constructed retorts 2. The masonry 1 ispreferablyformed centrally-with the {irebox 3, of any suitableconstruction, communicating with preferably helical fines 4 4, extendingabout the retorts 2 and at their upper ends discharging into stack 5.The retorts 2 are spaced apart and each formed withV an aperture 6 inits upper end adapted to be closed by a suitable head 7, provided withany preferred form of retaining device for locking the same in positionfor closing the aper- Ylar tube 11 is spaced beneath the same parallelthereto, also communicating between said retorts. A third tube 12,similar to tubes 10 and 11, aifords communication between the retorts .2near the base thereof, the tube 11 being arranged approximatelycentrally of the retorts and the tube 10 at the top. Averticallypositioned pipe 13 connects all of the said tubes anddischarges at its lower end into a pipe 14. Pipe l'communicates withpipe 13 preferably slightly above the intersection of pipe 11, and pipe16 communicates with the upper end of the pipe 13, each of pipes 14, 15,and 16 extending beyond the walls of the Inasonry 1, provided withcontrolling-valves 1 7 17 17". A pipe'18 communicates with pipe 16 andextends to and communicates with a condensingcoil 19, positioned withina cooling-chamber 20. The chamber 20 ,may beof anypreferred structureand may contain any common well-known cooling medium, and coil 19 may beformed with any preferred number of convolutions and of any desireddiam- Y discharge-spout 24, having its lower end open and forming anopen discharge beneath which may be positioned any suitable receptacle25', adapted to receive the heavier products which may be discharged bygravity through said spout 24. A pipe 25 communicates with pipe 15 andis provided with a discharge-spout 26, having its lower end open andforming an open discharge emptying into the receptacle 25. A brass pipe27 leads in an upwardly-inclined plane from the pipe 25 and communicateswith a condensing-coil 28, positioned within the chamber 20 andpreferably constructed of agreater number of convolutions and of lessdiameter than the coil 19. A pipe 29 communicates with the lower end ofcoil 28 and discharges outside the chamber 2O into any suitablereceptacle 30. A gas-discharge pipe 31 rises vertically from the pipe 29and is adapted for leading off gases in a similar manner to theoperation of pipe 23. (A pipe 32 communicates withl pipe 14 anddischarges into the receptacle 25. Avertical by-pass 33 communicateswith pipe 32 and opens into pipe 25, preferably just below the juncturetherewith of the pipe 27.

Each retort 2 is preferably provided with a funnel-shaped bottom orfalse bottom 34, discharging at its lowermost point into a pipe 35, saidpipe extending beyond the masonry 1 and discharging into a trough 36.

In operation the wood is broken or cut up into blocks and placed withinthe retorts 2 and a fire started in the box 3 sufficient for roastingthe contained wood. As the heat begins to aifect the wood lighter vaporswill rise to the upper ends of the retorts and the heavier productsdescend. As the operation continues the lighter gases and white vaporspass from the retorts 2 to the tube 10, into tube 16 and down tube 18,above the discharge-spout 24, creosote and other heavy substances whichmay possibly be carried with the lighter products into tube 18 beingdischarged at this point. The vapors continue moving through pipe 18 andeventually pass about coil 19, where condensation takes place andspirits of turpentine is discharged into receptacle 22, the gases beingdischarged through pipe 23. The vapors of a medium weight will nd theirway out through pipe 11 and into pipe 25 through pipe 25,-any of theproducts from pipe 10 which may have been caused to condense fall? ingdown pipe13 and passing out with said medium-weight vapors through pipe15. The vapors passing out pipe 15 and through pipe 25 divide uponarriving at the intersection of pipe 27 and lighter products move upsaid pipe, while creosote and heavier products pass out the discharge26. The products of suiiicient specic gravity which pass down the pipe25 fall through by-pass 33 into pipe 32. The heaviest of the vapors passthrough pipe 12 into tube 14 and the products from pipe 11, whichdescend through pipe 13 to pipe 12, pass out through pipe 14, the saidproducts passing out pipe 14 and discharging directly into thereceptable 25', except for those lighter gases and vapors which findtheir way up through by-pass 33 and pass off to the condenser throughpipe 27. The tar-and other similar heavy substances collect von thebottom 34 and are discharged down trough 36.

The valves 17 are provided for controlling the passage of gases andvapors and may be opened or closed to any degree desired-as, forinstance, when it is desired to produce only second-grade turpentine thevalve to pipe 16 may be closed entirely and all of the vapors passingout pipe 10 forced down pipe 13 and out pipe 15.

It is to be observed that the arrangement of retorts 6 is such that theintercommunicating vertical pipe 13 and the two lower hori- 'zontalpipes connected therewith are inclosed between the masonry surroundingsaid retorts and the stack arranged in the rear thereof. Said verticalpipe is positioned above the furnace 3, whereby the temperature of saidpipe will be maintained at such degree while the retorts are inoperation as to prevent condensation of the contained vapors. The pipe10,

however, is arranged at the upper ends ofthe n retorts in position'forbeing ,maintained at a slightly-lower temperature and not so completelyinclosed as the pipes 11 and 12 and the greater portion of pipe 13.

The tubes or pipes 10, 11, and 12, with the connecting-pipe 13, are soarranged between the retorts that they are protected against the coolingaction of the atmosphere by means of the stack 5, which stack serves toprevent the movement of air between the retorts.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I vclaim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a still, the combination with a plurality of retorts, of tubescommunicating with and arranged between the retorts, apipe connectingsaid tubes, aconducting-pipe leading from said connecting-pipe at oneend thereof, a second conducting-pipe at the other end thereof,condensing means for said conducting-pipes, and means for heating saidretorts and tubes to a degree preventing condensation of lighter vaporstherein.

2. In astill, the combination with aplurality of retorts spaced apart,of heating means arranged centrally beneath thev space between saidretorts, tubes communicating between said retorts above said heatingmeans, a pipe connecting said tubes, conducting-pipes leading IOO IIO

from said connecting-pipe, and means for prosame, intercommunicatingmeansA connecting ysaid tubes, means for heating said retorts anddensation of the lighter vapors therein, one of the tubes being at agreater distance from the source of heating than the others, andconducting-pipes leading from the intercommunicating means.

4. Inastill, the combination with aretort, of a plurality of tubesextending from the same, a vertical pipe connecting said tubes, aconducting-pipe communicating with said vertical pipe near one endthereof, a second conductingpipe communicating with said vertical pipeintermediate the lengththereof, means for heating said vertical pipeandtubes to a degree preventing condensation of the lighter vaporstherein, and means for protecting said pipes and tubes against thecooling action of the atmosphere.

5. In a still, the combination with a retort, of a plurality of tubesextending from said retort, a pipe connecting said tubes, wallspartially surrounding said tubes and pipe for preventing the coolingaction of the atmosphere thereon, conducting-pipes leading from variouspoints on said connecting-pipe, means for heating said retort and tubesto a degree pre-v venting condensation of the lighter vapors therein,and condensing means for said conducting-pipes.-

6. In a still, the combination with retorts and means for heating thesaine, of a plurality of horizontal tubes communicating between saidretorts and partially inclosed thereby', a vertical pipe conecting saidtubes,upper, lower and intermediate conducting-pipes communicating withsaid vertical pipe extending beyond the retorts.

7 In astill,the combination witha retort, of a plurality of tubesleading therefrom, a partially-inclosed inter-communicating pipeconneeting said tubes, an upper exposed conducting-pipe communicatingwith said intercommuni'cating pipe, partially-inclosed intermediate andlower conducting-pipes communicating with said intercommunicating pipe,and heating means vfor said retort and inclosed elements.

8. In a still, thecombination with a retort, of a plurality ofpartially-inclosed tubes leading therefrom, an exposed tube leadingtherefrom, a pipe connecting all of said tubes and being exposed at thatend connected with the exposed tube, cond noting-pipes leading from saidpipe, and means for heating the retort.

9. In astill, the combination with aplurality of retorts spaced' apart,a furnace arranged beneath the space between said retorts, tubescommunicating between said retorts above said furnace, a pipe connectingsaid tubes, conducting-pipes leading from said connectingpipe, and astack leading from said furnace and closing the space between saidretorts and preventing atmospheric draft therebetween.

In testimony whereof I hereunto ax my signature in presence of twoWitnesses.

WILLIAM o. DOUGLAS.

Witnesses:

JOHN L. FLETCHER, EDWIN E. VROOMAN.

